Gear change $1000! no way!

[jd91lx]

I want to put 3.55 gears in my 1991 Mustang. I called the biggest Ford dealer here in Lexington, KY. $800 labor if I supply Ford gear set. Is that normal? I could buy the gears and all the setup tools to do the job for less than that!

Good freaking grief!

If ya'll know a better place in central Ky, let me know. I'm in shock right now. Maybe a Chevy dealer.....

Jeff Davidson

 

[ratio411]

They want the Ford gear set because that makes it most likely they won't have to do anything but swap it right in without any real setup.

 

[ratio411]

Be careful though!
I got into doing my own because I got skrewed over by a shop that swore up and down that they were so good at setting up rears that the pro racers came to them... I believed they knew what they were doing, and it cost me a fortune in new parts, time, labor fees, broken parts, and within a week of the rebuild, a junkyard rear to replace the one they just built. It was a nightmare, and as it turns out, the guy didn't even put a single shim in the rear! I should have known something was wrong when he called me and complained the rebuild kit I gave him didn't have a crush sleeve in it. Danas don't use crush sleeves!
I still have the rear in my shop taking up space. It looks great, and is loaded with new parts like gear and locker (which he broke, but I since repaired). It needs all those new bearings pulled out and a new rebuild kit put in, and of course set up.

I have done my own since...

 

[jd91lx]

That was the point. Ford Gears. Drop in. $800? Could buy a used supercharger for that!

 

[TOOLOW91]

I dont know what your skill level is but a full rebuild is bearings races etc the right way is a lot of work and i had ford gears and i still had to set mine up.... I still believe 1000 is a lot of money though 600 is more like it even 400

 

[cobra10494]

I dont know what your skill level is but a full rebuild is bearings races etc the right way is a lot of work and i had ford gears and i still had to set mine up.... I still believe 1000 is a lot of money though 600 is more like it even 400

I live inN.J. and I had a shop that works on just mustangs do my gear install for $250.00 labor. Seen install as high as $500.00.These prices are minus gearset.So shop around that price seems ridiculous!

 

[TOOLOW91]

I live inN.J. and I had a shop that works on just mustangs do my gear install for $250.00 labor. Seen install as high as $500.00.These prices are minus gearset.So shop around that price seems ridiculous!

I hear you, i built mine myself... It cost me a rebuild kit. I got my gears for nothing.

 

[madspeed]

find a fellow ford guru and do it yourself. Its that hard

 

[gearheadboy]

Once again, not looking for confrontation here but ALL gears need set up. Ford gears do not drop right in. I worked at a dealer and yes removing the gears and installing a factory set of the same ratio was usually close when starting with the factory shim. However any time you change the ratio or gear brand the pinion depth is usually way off. It sounds like someone quoted you 10hrs @ $80.00 per hour. A fair estimation would be 4 or 5 hrs plus lube, shop supplies, and bearings. They only asked for Ford gears to eliminate any parts compatibility issue and hocus-pocus needed to install them which would cause them to be over their estimate. I have been in their shoes too. As a service manager people would get a quote, bring half the needed stuff, and most of it used and expect pristine quality in the same amount of time with no additional cost and a lifetime warranty. Two sides to every coin.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

The guy who did mine is in Stanford and he does it for $150. He even installed new axle bearing and seals for no extra charge. He does it out of his home garage on the weekends. He's done countless 8.8 gears for my friends and never a problem for any of us.

 

[madspeed]

thats what im talking about

 

[RacEoHolic330]

+1

I dropped off my IRS center section at TransAxle (national big rig transmission service company). The head mechanic said he could do it himself on his own time. $150 and that included extracting two snapped diff cover bolts.

 

[TOOLOW91]

there not hard Just tedious , but also not a beginner job in my opinion. I completely cleaned my housing out and diff and rebuilt it as well as welded my axle tubes up so I took some more time with it

 

[Farmers SN95]

Me and ReefBlueHatch use the same guy $150 in stanford ky. He has done everyones car around here!

 

[91TwighlightGT]

I don't know why we are shocked by the price tag at a FORD DEALERSHIP to do a rear gear install. Yeah, they will probably do it right, but you will always pay the most at the dealership. You need to find an independent shop that is competent.

 

[90lxcoupe]

you will need access to a press if you do it yourself. Also, reuse the old pinion bearing and take a few thousandths out of it so it slides on and off the pinion. You can use that as a setup bearing.

 

[02 281 GT]

Be careful though!
I got into doing my own because I got skrewed over by a shop that swore up and down that they were so good at setting up rears that the pro racers came to them... I believed they knew what they were doing, and it cost me a fortune in new parts, time, labor fees, broken parts, and within a week of the rebuild, a junkyard rear to replace the one they just built. It was a nightmare, and as it turns out, the guy didn't even put a single shim in the rear! I should have known something was wrong when he called me and complained the rebuild kit I gave him didn't have a crush sleeve in it. Danas don't use crush sleeves!
I still have the rear in my shop taking up space. It looks great, and is loaded with new parts like gear and locker (which he broke, but I since repaired). It needs all those new bearings pulled out and a new rebuild kit put in, and of course set up.

I have done my own since...

What kind of tools would one need to do this themselves and do it right? I've had a recurring issue noise/vibration coming from my rear diff. I'm going to replace the carrier bearings and rebuild the t-lock. If that doesn't work, I would rather replace gears myself since I'm sure it would be ridiculously expensive here no matter where I go.

 

[madspeed]

only special tool would be access to a press for putting on thr pinion bearing

 

[gearheadboy]

A micrometer, dial indicator, pinion depth gauge, prussian blue dye, press, bearing removal tools or a cut off wheel, needle inch lbs torque wrench.

 

[ratio411]

I just use dial indicator, press, and torque wrench.
I want a Ratech pinion depth tool... I'll probably buy one before I do another 8.8".
The rest comes in the 'install kit'.
The press is probably the hardest thing for someone without a well equipped shop.
If I didn't have one, I'd take the pinion to my local machine shop and have them pull the bearings off for me, then when I had it all worked out and ready to go back together, I'd have them press on for me.

Edit: I forgot about the in/lbs torque wrench like gearheadboy pointed out.
You gotta have a way to check drag on your preload....

Think of this as a good reason to buy more tools!
You can never have too many tools!
Use the old bearings as 'checker bearings', and treat them as tools too when you are done. That way you never have to remake a set of checking bearings when you do another 8.8".